Glenville players rejoice after defeating East Tech to win the Senate Athletic League girls title Friday night over East Tech. (Lonnie Timmons III, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As Glenville coach Renee Wright watched her team's lead against East Tech shrink in the fourth quarter Friday night, she knew what needed to change.

Sophomore forward Latrice Legion needed to step up and lead the Tarblooders if they were going to stave off the Scarabs' comeback in the Senate League girls title game.

During a late timeout, Legion told Wright she was prepared to do just that. "I've got you," Legion said. "Put it on my shoulders."

Legion delivered, scoring the final five points to give Glenville a 64-61 victory. The Tarblooders won their third straight Senate championship and fifth in seven years.

"It means a lot," Legion said. "We're on top of the throne and we're planning on keeping it that way."

With 33 seconds left, Legion converted a traditional three-point play, banking a layup off the glass and making the free throw to give the Tarblooders a one-point lead. She made two more free throws with 13 seconds left to seal the win.

Legion said she was relaxed standing at the line. "I had confidence in both of my free throws," she said. "I felt it. I felt the momentum. I believed in myself and I know my team did as well."

Tied at 31 at half, Glenville opened the third quarter on a 12-3 run and had a 12-point edge going into the fourth quarter. But the Scarabs fought their way back and took a one-point lead with 58 seconds remaining when freshman guard Shantell Bostic stole an inbounds pass and quickly converted a layup.

But East Tech would score just one more point. Coach Melvin Burke said because of the Scarabs' youth, their late-game letdown didn't surprise him.

"The point differential was due to a lack of understanding the game and our basketball IQ," he said. "Our heart was there and our endurance and our pride was there, so we've got something to work with."

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